Orchard Farm Gifted Program

Identification

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) offers clear guidelines on how gifted students should be identified for gifted programming. These guidelines are recommendations- not requirements- yet they are research and evidence-based. Therefore, Orchard Farm follows DESE's guidelines closely. DESE recommends that schools use a two-step process: screening and individual assessment. DESE further recommends that at least four areas are scrutinized. For qualification, students must show exceptionality (95th percentile) in at least THREE of the four areas. The following information is taken directly from DESE's website and describes each criterion in detail:

Other Evidence

Documented evidence of exceptional performance in a general academic area, a fine arts area, or another area related to the design of the gifted program: Such evidence may take the form of portfolios of student work, MAP test scores, formal classroom observations by persons knowledgeable about characteristics of gifted students, auditions, product demonstrations, etc.

At Orchard Farm, we use a variety of evidence in this category, but common pieces of data include MAP scores, AIMSWeb scores, and student work portfolios, provided the evidence is of 'exceptional' quality ( top 5% of all students). This data collection occurs during the 'screening' phase of identification. Students must show evidence of exceptionality to be further evaluated.

Academic Ability

If achievement test scores are used for formal evaluation and placement, they must be derived from a norm-referenced test and the cut-off score must be set at the 95th percentile or higher. For interdisciplinary programs, tests must be used that sample a majority of the core subject areas of Math, Science, Social Studies and Communication Arts.

At Orchard Farm, we use The Cognitive Ailities Test (CogAT) to measure academic ability, and this is administered during the 'screening' phase of identification. Students must score 115 or higher to be further evaluated.

General Mental Ability

Full-scale or GAI scores on an individual intelligence test at or above the 95th percentile: Although they are more time-consuming, individually administered intelligence tests provide more accurate indicators for final placement purposes than do group tests. The district may use various IQ tests, administered according to their appropriateness in reference to program areas and student needs.

Orchard Farm Primarily uses the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) in almost all instances, however an alternate (but equally valid and reliable) intelligence test may be administered if doing so may benefit the student. An IQ score of 125 or higher is required.

Creativity

Results of valid tests or other assessments indicating outstanding ability in one of the following areas: (1) creative and productive thinking, (2) advanced insight, (3) outstanding imagination, (4) innovative or creative reasoning ability, (5) advanced perception of cause and effect relationships, (6) problem solving, or (7) abstract concepts. These areas of ability must be related to the design of the gifted program.

At Orchard Farm we use the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (TTCT), and students must score in the 95th percentile.

Referral Process

Students are referred for CATS program screenings in three ways:
  1. Every student at Orchard Farm is screened for the gifted program in first and third grade, via the administration of the CogAT.
  2. Teacher requests
  3. Parent requests

While CogAT and IQ scores are reliable and valid measures, it is not uncommon for a student's scores to change every few years. These fluctuations are relatively small, yet could still allow for a formerly disqualified student to qualify at a later date. For this reason, students may eligible to be re-screened in the future.

For more state guidance and gifted recommendations, visit the DESE Website.